NEWS FROM THE COUNCIL MEETING –
PLEASE READ
TATTOOING/TAGGING
As you will all know there has been a recent postal vote on whether
to make tattooing optional.
Approximately 66% of the membership voted for which I would like
to thank you very much – 178 members were in favour and 25
against.
It was proposed, seconded and passed, that tattooing will now
become optional as of 1 September, 2012. If members wish to carry
on tattooing nothing will change. However, if members wish to use
tags instead of tattooing, your Society Flock number and the year
letter MUST be on the tag. In brief, if using the tagging system all
the information that you would have tattooed, must now be included
on the tag.
RAM NUMBERS FOR MAY FAIR

D

Considering the numbers of rams sold during the previous three years,
there has been concern about the number of rams being entered for May
Fair.
It was proposed, seconded and vote carried that:

I
A
R
Y

“All members permitted allowance of rams would be reduced by one”

MAY FAIR, 2013
May Fair 2013 will be held at Exeter Livestock Centre on Tuesday, 7th and
Wednesday, 8th May. Please put this date in your diary NOW.

WORCESTER SALE, 2013
It was agreed the date for the 2013 Worcester Sale would be Saturday, 13th July.
Please put this date in your diary NOW.
It was also proposed, seconded, and
1 vote carried that the upset price for rams at the
Worcester sale should be reduced to £250.

COUNCIL MEETING
THURSDAY, 19th July, 2012
PROMOTING THE BREED
At the last Council meeting, members asked if we, as a Society, could make more use of the
website, in this ever changing world.
If you have any news or articles that you think would be suitable PLEASE send them in.
If you go to a show, PLEASE take pictures and send them in with the show results.
The question arose:
“have any of our members the IT skills to help the Society freshen up our website, and would
they be interested in managing the site – an opportunity wherever you live.
BREED SOCIETY TIES
There was a suggestion that a new Breed Society tie should be produced.
THERE MUST BE SOME BUDDING DESIGNERS OUT THERE, SO ALL MEMBERS ARE
ASKED TO SEND IN A SUGGESTED DESIGN FOR A NEW TIE,
PLEASE!!
(either send your design to the office or e-mail:dorsetsheep@xlnmail.com)
APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
The following applications for membership were accepted:
H P & S A Cory, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Darren Gribben, County Down, Northern Ireland
Mr & Mrs R Harvey, Lymington, Hampshire
Mr Neil McAllister, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Mr D Mortimer-Jones, Conwy, Wales
Jacqueline Preston, Berwickshire, Scotland
Mr Julian Speers, Blandford, Dorset
Mr Matthew Steenson, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Miss R C Turner, Coventry, Warwickshire

ASSOCIATE MEMBER
Mrs Sarah Ward, Kirby, Kent
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP
It was proposed, seconded and all in favour that Junior membership should be open to people 18 years
of age or under, and the £10 fee should be for the first three years, before it is increased to adult
membership.
2

DORSETS CONTINUE TO GAIN STRENGTH AT WORCESTER
The Poll Dorset and Dorset Horn Sheep Association’s Annual show & Sale at
Worcester continues to gain importance and strength with an almost total clearance
and a buying contingent that came from literally across the country.
Topping the bill in the pricing stakes was a ram lamb from David Rossiter’s “Huish”
flock. Having taken First in the class he went onto take Overall Championship, not
only did he favour the show judge but with a maternal index of 276 and an index of
363 plenty of interest reigned from purchasers being eventually secured by Richard
and Robert Hole for use in their “Sherborne” flock in Dorset.
Richard and Robert Hole also featured strongly as vendors topping the Shearling Ewe
section at 650 gns for a Gortleigh Hastings daughter carrying twins being taken by
T.W. Holland & Son, Cardigan, West Wales. Messrs Holland were keen bidders at
the sale taking a total of 10 females.
David Rossiter’s quality consignment found a close following with a second prize
Shearling Ewe scanned with twins at 520gns to T. Eden, Kempsey, Worcester.
A long trip from Cornwall for Mr W L French’s “Wilsey” flock was well rewarded with a
hotly contested trade keeping at 500gns twice, both for shearling ewes carrying twins
secured by David Lewis, Narbeth, Pembrokeshire.
Ewe lambs enjoyed a very spirited demand and were off to a good start in that section
with the first sold a first prize winner, from the Huish flock, by a New Zealand bred sire
taken at 370gns by Joe Larder, Sandford, Somerset for his “Byeways” flock. Jim
Dufosee’s “Blackhill” flock achieved Second and Third in the Ewe Lamb class with the
second prize winner making 330gns to G. Jones,Ystrad Meurig, Ceredigion. “Blackhill”
also hit the 260gns mark for a pen of 4 ewe lambs to David Lewis, Narbeth,
Pembroke.
A small number of rams were on offer, shearlings selling to 550gns for the fourth prize
winner and 500gns for the first prize winner, both from W.L. French “Wilsey” and
purchased by R.G. Elliott & Son, Northampton and T. Pratt, Ipswich, Suffolk
respectively.

Dorset Stand the Guest of HRH Prince Charles at Scotsheep!
On Wednesday 6th June 2012 the Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeders’ Association
were represented at Scotsheep by the Association Chairman David Rossiter, Cathryn Pritt,
Marianne and Martin Sheed and James Royan. This year’s event was hosted by HRH Prince
Charles the Duke of Rothesay at Dumfries House, Cumnock, Ayrshire on the farm now being
run by Morrison’s supermarket.
Morrison’s have just spent £2 million pounds on the farm, which was obvious by the high
quality buildings that housed the breed society and trade stands at the event. Despite the
heavy rain throughout the day all the visitors were in high spirits and enthusiastic to learn
about new innovations in sheep husbandry.
Given that the Dorset breed is one of the oldest in the country, people may wonder why it can
be linked to new and progressive innovations. However, when you closely examine what
other breeds and composites are using as their unique selling points (or USP’s as they called
them on the one episode of ‘The Apprentice’ I watched!!) Dorset’s have much to offer the
sheep industry. Prolific, easy care ewes, capable of lambing at any time of the year to
produce a fast growing lamb which will easily meet the consumer’s expectations were many
of the USP’s I heard from the ‘innovative’ and ‘new’ composite breeds. It was with great
satisfaction that I was able to explain to many sheep farmers that the Dorset breed can do all
those things and has done for over a century!
With over 6000 visitors at the event the Dorset breed was once again able to spread its
message to the more northerly areas of the United Kingdom, where interest continues to
flourish. It is anticipated that this interest will continue to convert into a strong trade at the
Carlilse Sale on Friday 31st August 2012.

Déjà vu at a Rain Soaked Great Yorkshire Show!
The Great Yorkshire Show, scheduled to take place from Tuesday 10th to Thursday 12th July
2012 was cancelled after one day due to adverse weather conditions. However, a delegation
of determined sheep exhibitors persuaded the organisers to complete the inter-breed judging
on the Wednesday morning to ensure all the honours were decided.
Once again the Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset section was well supported with seven
exhibitors bringing out thirty five sheep. In addition to the GYS prizes, the newly formed
Northern Dorset Breeders’ Club had a championship to be decided. Six of the exhibitors
were club members bringing along thirty two sheep between them. The job of judging was
undertaken by Rob Hole from the Sherborne Flock in Dorset. Rob’s experienced eye and
hands on approach was greatly appreciated by all the exhibitors and spectators alike. It was
quite a task given the very high quality of all the sheep on show.
The male championship was judged in what can only be described as monsoon conditions
with the judge, competitors and sheep all getting a real soaking! This section was won by a
home-bred ram lamb from James Royan’s Bennachie flock. Bennachie Schiehallion. The
female championship was won by an outstanding shearling gimmer from Roger Huxter’s
South Ham flock, which had caught everyone’s eye from the outset due to its tremendous
size, power and confirmation. Unsurprisingly this ewe went on to take the Breed
Championship, beating the Bennachie ram lamb into the reserve spot. It would be nice to
5

see a few more local exhibitors, and those from south of Warwickshire, at this prestigious
show, unarguably the biggest and best livestock event in the north.
As the South Ham flock are based in Devon they do not qualify for the Northern Dorset
Breeder’ Club!
Therefore the inaugural winner of the Northern Club’s
Supreme
championship, and the Hall Lane Shield was James Royan with Bennachie Schiehallion. In
second place was David Eglin’s adult ewe Bramain Lucy taking the female championship.
This ewe was also overall champion here two years ago.
In third place was Edwin Pocock’s shearling ram Hall Lane Pontious which came second
behind Karen Hodgson’s Irish born exhibit in the open adult ram class. This was the first time
Karen had exhibited at Yorkshire show and this ram later went on to gain the open reserve
male championship
.
It was good to see so many enthusiastic young competitors in the various classes. Alex
Steff’s grandchildren and James and Vicki Royan’s children among those who showed off
their sheep handling skills on the day.
In the wool classes, Dorset fleeces from Cathryn Pritt and Brian Muncaster at Thornbank
Farms were placed second and third in the Downland section. Resulting from this success
Cathryn was approached to try and encourage other exhibitors of Dorset sheep to enter the
wool classes. If each exhibitor entered a fleece then the Dorset breed could have its own
classes in the wool tent raising the profile of the breed even further.

Roger Huxter’s Breed Champion

James Royan with Bennachie Schiehal
James Royan with Bennachie Schiehallion

Top Price:
Female - £1050 by Jim Dufosee
Male - £820 by David Lewis
The Welsh Dorset Club would like to thank all vendors, purchasers, public, auctioneers and sponsors
for their support. Also like to thank the Judge Mr Richard Currie, Hilltop Flock, Northen Ireland for
doing an excellent job during the morning.

Jo Dufosee with the Supreme Champion

The Supreme Champion, a Yearling Ewe
from the Blackhill flock.
7

Judge Mr Richard Currie busy judging
the class of ewes

Caredig Jones the Welsh Dorset Club
President, presenting the Welsh Dorset
Club tie to the Judge Mr Richard Currie.